Pneumatic-motor valve mechanism for automatic piano-players.



RMIT-NTED AUG. 25, 1903,

T. DANQUARD. PNEUMATIC MOTOR VALVE MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC PIANOPLAYERS.

APPLIUATION- FILED APR. 26, 1902.

N0 MODEL.

be MM x WITNESSES:

, dim/4% UNITED STAT S iatented Au ust 25, 1903.

PATE T OFFICE.

THOMAS DANQUARD, OF NE\V YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNOR TO KOHLER &

CAMPBELL, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., A FIRM.

PNEUMATIC-MOTOR VALVE MECHANISM FOR AUTOMATIC PIANO-PLAYERS-SPECIFICATION forming partof Letters Patent No. 737,363, dated August25, 1903.

Application filed April 26, 1902. Eerlal No. 104,739. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, THoMAs'DANoUARD, a citizen of the United States ofAmerica, residing at the borough of Manhattan, city of New York, Stateof New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inPneumatic-Motor Valve Mechanism for Automatic Piano-Players, of whichthe following is a specification. 7

My invention has for its object to provide simple and eflicient valvemechanism controlling the operation of apneumatic-motor which actuatesthe traveling music-sheet of an automatic piano-player.

The invention includes a novel arrangement of pairs of valves operatingat the airpassages of the individual motor-pneumatics which open andclose to rotate the drivingshaft from which the music-sheet is actuatedand also includes a novel relative arrange 3 is a detail verticalcross-sectional view more especially illustrating the pair of valves andthe air-passages of one of the motor -pneumatics.

In the drawings the numeral 5 indicates the wind-chest of thepneumatic-motor which is exhausted by a main bellows, (not shown), whichdraws air from the main wind-chest 6, with which communicate bysuitably-valved ports the small pneumatics to whose movable walls arecoupled the hammers which act on the keys of a piano to automaticallyplay it in well-known manner. These hammer-operating valved pneumaticsalso are not shown, as theyform no partof this invention. The windchest6 communicates directly with the motor wind-chest 5 through a passage 7and also matically cuts off air-exhau st through the passage 8 9, moreor less, as determined by movement of the outer flexible wall of thispneumatic, which carries a lip 12, engaging the valve. This flexiblepneumatic wall is moved by the air exhaust of suction and against theforce of an expanding-spring 13, which normally tends to fully open thepneumatic 10 and its valve 11. The operation of this auxiliary valvedpneumatic 10 11 relatively to the airtension in or of the main bellowsto control any desired speed of the motor and of the music-sheet is wellknown in this art. It will, however, be noticed that I have speciallyarranged theauxiliary valved pneumatic 1O 11 in such relation to theair-passages 7 8 9 and the motor wind-chest 5 as to permit location ofboth motor-controlling valves 14 15 directly at or within the motorwind-chest 5, to which are fastened the series of pneumatics 16, by orfrom which the motor drivingshaft 17 is rotated, as presently explained.

The reciprocating slide-valve 14 preferably has a slot which cooperateswiththe reduced or narrow throat of the passage 9 to permit variablevolume of air to pass through the wind-chest 5 as may be necessary tocause rotation of the motor driving-shaft 17 at any speed required bythe desired tempo of the music which is controlled by the speed oftravel of the music-sheet, whose take-up and delivery rolls are actuatedby a belt 18, running from a pulley 19 on the motor drivingshaft 17andinwell-known manner not necessary to show or further describe. Thestem 20 of valve 1 is' shown coupled by a 1ink 21 toa lever 22 in easyreach of the performer, who by adjusting it may open the passage 9 moreor less to assure faster or slower speed of rotation of thedriving-shaft 17, and thus control the tempo of the music. Thereciprocating slide-valve 15 has a stem 23, here shown coupled by a link24, a rocking lever 25, and arod 26, with an other lever 27 in reach ofthe performer.- This lever 27 preferably has other connections (notherein shown) for automatically uncoupling the take-up roll of themusic-sheet from the motor-shaft and coupling thereto the delivery-roll,so that one motion of said lever 27 will fully open the large directair-passage 7 and cause high speed of the motor to assure quickrewinding of the music-sheet on the delivery-roll at the finish of apiece of music or when repeating parts thereof. Each reciprocating valve14 15 is preferably held to its seat bya spring 28. (Best shown in Fig.1 of the drawings.) No matter at what speed the motor driving-shaft 17may be rotated by variable air-supply through the passage 8 9 past thevalves 11 14 or through the passage7 past the valve 15 the operation ofthe motor is directly controlled bypairs of valves, one pair for eachmotor-pneumatic 16,

and which constitute an important feature of my invention, to bepresently described.

The motor-shaft 17 is journaled in bearings 29, fixed to the wind-chest5, and has a series of cranks 30, which when three motor-pneu- 'matics16 are used are set one hundred an rods 31 are each coupled preferablyby an ex tensible or, telescoping link 32 33 with an upbent arm 36 of aduplex tappet device 37 38,

adapted to operate the pair of valves 39 40 of each pneumatic 16. Iprefer to make the link part 32 with one right-angularly bent end whichhas a bearing in the corresponding pneumatic-connecting rod 31 andreceivesa nut 34, which detachably couples the parts 31 32 together. Atits other end the link part 32 has a screw-thread 35, fitting a femalethread in the other link part, 33,in which the bent end of thetappet-arm 36 has a bearing. When the nut 34 is removed, the part 32 canhe slipped from the rod 31.to permit said part 32 tobe turned by itsthread 35 in the part 33 for lengthening or shortening the link 32 33 asmay be necessary to cause accurate throw of the tappets 37 38, andthereby actuate the two valves 39 40 of each pneumatic at proper timesto assure easy and uniform rotation of the drivingshaft from thepneumatics 16 at any desired speed.

The valve 39 is arranged at an opening between the exhaust air chamber41- of the motor wind-chest 5 and a passage 42, leading to the pneumatic16, and the valve 40 con.

trols an air-opening 43 from said passage 42 to the atmosphere. valve 39is linked to a lever 44, which is fulcrumed at 45 to the chest 5, andthe outer valve 40 is held to another lever, 46, fulcrumed at 47 to saidchest. The tappets 37 The stem of the inner 38 underlie the free ends ofthe respective levers 44 46, so that when the tappet devices arerockedby the links-32 33 from the oscil latory rods 31, coupling thepneumatics 16 to the cranked driving-shaft 17, the valves 39 40 will bealternately opened and closed to successively connect the pneumatics 16with the exhaust-chamber 41 and with the atmosphere to cause opening andclosing of the pneumatics for rotating the driving-shaft 17. Suitablelight springs 48 act on the valvelevers 44 46 to promote prompt closureof the valves 39 40, as permitted by the rocking of the tappet devices.

I specially mention making the valve-operating tappet device 37 38 of orfrom one piece of wire or material adapted for rocking in suitablehearings on the motor wind-chest 5. As a further improvement I make thearm 36, by which the tappets 37 38 are-rocked, as an integral extensionof the same wire. I further specially mention that the valve-operatingtappets 37 38 are so proportioned relatively to the arm 36 and to theparts 30 31.

32 33 that the valves 40 always close just before the valves 39 open,thereby avoiding power-wasting leakage of air during operation of themotor-pneumatics 16 by exhaust of air through the wind-chest 5 by themain pedal-operated bellows of the instrument, thus assuring properstarting of the motor and also maintaining most regular rotation ofthe-music-sheet-driving shaft 17 at any desired speed to accommodate thetempo of the music.

By my special arrangement of levers 44 46,

connected to each pair of pneumatic-control-' valves, nor is there anysuch loss of power by friction as occurs when sliding pneumaticvalvesare used and are actuated by pitnien connecting the pneumatics with themain driving-shaft. Furthermore, all parts of my pneumatic duplex-valvemechanism are at all times accessible for adjustment or repair and saidvalve mechanism is not only certain and positive in its action, but itsconstruction and mode of operation combine to make it very efficient anddurable in use and very well adapt it for hard service without requiringfrequent attention for readjustments or repairs.

The novel arrangement of the main motorcontrolling valves 14 1.5 in theWind-chest of the motor-pneumatics relatively to the auxiliary pneumatic10, its valve 11, and the airpassages 7 8 9, and also relatively to thepneumatic-valves, makes a very simple, efficient, compact, andcomparatively inexpensive construction.

I am aware of a prior automatic piano in which a single perforatedslide-valve is used at a music-sheet-motor wind-chest to control flow ofair through the motor-pneum atics and wind-chest to two separatechambers of a main wind-chest, from which air is exhausted by a mainbellows. One of these chambers communicates with a pneumatic valvedaircurrent regulator interposed in an indirect air-passage between saidchamber and the bellows for automatically regulating the desired tempoof the music, and the other of said wind-chest chambers may byadjustment of the same valve put the motor wind-chest directly incommunication with the main bellows for inducing unobstructed aircurrent through the motor to assure its high speed and consequent rapidrewindin g of the musicsheet. Such subdivision of the prior mainwind-chest into two independent chambers not only increases the cost ofconstruction,but promotes liability to air leakage at interior jointswhich are not readily accessible for inspection and repairs and areinjuriously affected by changes of weather and of temperature, to whichinstruments of this class are peculiarly sensitive. With my motor windchest 5, having but one chamber commonto the motor-pneumatic valves andto the two independent valves 1 L 15, which control the direct andindirect passages 7 and 8 9, respectively, to the single chambered mainwind-chest 6, and ,with the pneumatic valved air-current regulator 1011, interposed in said passage 8 9, I wholly avoid inaccessible interiorjoints at the main wind-chest and assure effective operation and greatdurability of all the working parts,which may be reached easily andquickly for examination and re pair without dismombering any vital partof the instrument.

I claim as my invention 1. The combination, with the motor windchesthaving air-exhaust chamber and airpassages, the motor-pneumatics, themotor driving-shaft, oscillatory rods connecting the movable walls ofsaid pneumatics with the driving-shaft, and pairs of valves acting atopenings of the motor wind-chest leading to the pneumatics and to theatmosphere, of levers coupled to the valves, tappets acting on saidlevers for opening the valves, and links coupling the tappets with theoscillatory rods connecting the motor-pneumatics and driving-shaft.

2. The combination, with the motor windchest having air-exhaust chamberand airpassages, the motor-pneumatics, the motor driving-shaft,oscillatory rods connecting the movable walls of said pneumatics withthe driving-shaft, and pairs of valves acting at openings of the motorwind-chest leading to the pneumatics and to the atmosphere, of leverscoupled to the valves, tappets acting on said levers for opening thevalves, and links coupling the tappets with the oscillatory rodsconnecting the motor-pneumatics and driving-shaft, said valves and theiroperating devices being relatively adjusted to allow the valves at theatmosphere-openings of the motor Wind-chest to close before the valvesopen at the air-exh aust chamber of said wind-chest.

3. The combination, with the motor windchest having an air-eXhau stchamber and airpassages, the motor-pneumatics, the motor driving-shaft,oscillatory rods connecting the movable walls of said pneumatics withthe driving-shaft, and pairs of valves acting at openings of the motorwind-chest leading to the pneumatics and to the atmosphere, of

levers coupled to the valves, tappets acting on said levers for openingthe valves, and lengthwise-adjustable links coupling the tappets withthe oscillatory rods connecting the motor-pneumatics and driving-shaftand per mitting regulation of the valve action.

4. The combination, with the motor Windchest having air-exhaust chamberand airpassages, the motor-pneumatics, the motor driving-shaft,oscillatory rods connecting the movable walls of said pneumatics withthe driving-shaft, and pairs of valves acting at openings of the motorwind-chest leading to the pneumatics and to the atmosphere, of leverscoupled to the valves, tappets actuating said valve-levers andcomprising bent portions of an integral oscillatory wire or rod, andlinks coupling said integral tappet devices with the oscillatory rodsconnecting the motor-pneumatics and driving-shaft.

5. The combination, with the motor windp chest having air-exhaustchamber 41 and airpassages 42, 43; the pneumatics 16, driving shaft 17,and rods 31 connecting parts 16, 17, of a pair of valves 39, 4:0 foreach pneumatic 16, an integral tappet device actuating the valves ofeach pneumatic and comprising oppositely-arranged cranked portions 37,38, and an arm 36; pairs of levers 44, 46, actuated by the tappets 37,38, andcarrying the respective valves 39, 40 of each pneumatic, andlinks coupling the connecting-rods 31 with the tappet-device arms 36 ofthe respective pne umatics 16, substantially as described.

6. In valve mechanism of the character described, the combination of amain windchest, a music-sheet-motor wind-chest, valves at said motorwind-chest controlling the motor-pneumatics for operating the motor andmusic-sheet, an auxiliary pneumatic communicating with both the main andmotor wind-chests and having a valve actuated automatically by theair-exhaust, and two independently-operative valves at the motorwind-chest one of said valves being adjustable for governing the tempoof the music and controlling the indirect passage between the main andmotor wind-chests in which the pneumatic air-current regulator isinterposed, and the other of said valves controlling the direct passagebetween the main and controllable by the interposed automatic reguTlater 10 11, a valve 14: in the motor Windchest 5 controllingair-current through the motor-pneumatics and said chest and theregulator 10 11 for governing the tempo of the music, a valve 15 in themotor Wind-chest 5 Y adjustable to permit unobstructed air-currentthrough the motor-pneumatics for quickly re- Winding the music-sh cot,and means forindependently operating the valves ll, 15, substantially asherein set forth.

THOMAS DANQUARD; Witnesses: ALVIN K. GOODW'IN,

F. O. BUCHHOLTZ.

